If you’ve ever found yourself on the beauty side of Tik Tok, these skincare hacks aren’t news to you. From the spike in drinking chlorophyll water to gua sha obsessions, is there really any science behind trending beauty hacks? In an attempt to get to the truth before adding collagen supplements and more to the list of items Tik Tok made me buy, here is the science behind the beauty trends popping up across your social feeds.
Chlorophyll Water
People on Tik Tok are going crazy for chlorophyll drops that can be added to water and drunk daily. The proposed benefits include eliminating bloat and clearing or reducing acne outbreaks. But before we add it to our cart, have any of these benefits been proven? Although there haven’t been any proven benefits of clearing the skin, chlorophyll is an antioxidant that is anti-inflammatory. According to the New York Times, “Laboratory studies suggest that chlorophyllin may have antioxidant properties, which help to combat the damage to our cells caused by harmful molecules known as free radicals.” Because of this, people may experience less inflammation within the body whether it is experienced in the form of less bloat or less inflamed acne. Although this trend has boomed all over socials, you can essentially achieve the same benefits by incorporating more leafy greens and less sugar into your diet.
Gua Sha
This method of tightening facial muscles has been used in ancient Chinese healing techniques that is great for tension relief in your face and neck, as well as acting as a natural facelift. Gua Sha is defined as a “repeated, unidirectional, press-stroke of the lubricated skin area with a smooth-edged instrument”, according to a study. When your skin is the largest organ in your body, it is important to care for it and this is a great way to do so.
Collagen Supplements
As we age, our skin does too and part of that plays into collagen reduction. Collagen is used throughout the body, however, in skincare, it is essential to improving the overall elasticity. Different factors play a role in depleting collagen such as:
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Aging
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Consumption of a non-balanced diet
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Stress-related deficiencies
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Too much sunlight
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Smoking
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Environmental pollution
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Alcohol abuse
According to a study investigating the effectiveness of collagen supplements, “The elasticity is then diminished, and lines and wrinkles emerge. Due to the loss of collagen, the skin becomes increasingly thinner and drier.” They discovered that when taking collagen supplements orally, deeper layers of the skin improved in appearance and allowed for regeneration of the skin. Make sure to consult your doctor before taking any supplements.
Ice Rolling
Icing the skin with a roller or mask you can just stick in your freezer might have some science behind the results. Cooling the skin is great for reducing inflammation, lymphatic drainage, and temporarily minimizing pores. A study showed that “Icing has traditionally been used to treat such injuries under the premise that it alleviates pain, reduces tissue metabolism, and modifies vascular responses to decrease swelling.” Because ice on the skin acts as an anti-inflammatory, seeing reduced acne outbreaks is common in addition to alleviating any tenderness in the face.
Who knew that some of these beauty trends actually hold some truth! Although these are not the “cure-all” for beauty remedies, they are affordable and easy ways to temporarily minimize skincare concerns. Which trend would you try?
Sources
Bolke, Liane, et al. “A Collagen Supplement Improves Skin Hydration, Elasticity, Roughness, and Density: Results of a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Blind Study.” Nutrients, MDPI, 17 Oct. 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6835901/.
Chen, Tingting, et al. “Gua Sha, a Press-Stroke Treatment of the Skin, Boosts the Immune Response to Intradermal Vaccination.” PeerJ, PeerJ Inc., 14 Sept. 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5028785/.
Lanfer-Marquez, Ursula M., et al. “Antioxidant Activity of Chlorophylls and Their Derivatives.” Food Research International, Elsevier, 5 July 2005, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0963996905000918?via%3Dihub.
Mackeen, Dawn. “Are There Benefits to Chlorophyll Supplements?” The New York Times, The New York Times, 15 Nov. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/11/15/style/chlorophyll-benefits.html.
Singh, Daniel P, et al. “Effects of Topical Icing on Inflammation, Angiogenesis, Revascularization, and Myofiber Regeneration in Skeletal Muscle Following Contusion Injury.” Frontiers in Physiology, Frontiers Media S.A., 7 Mar. 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5339266/.